A lock hangs from an open hatch in the door to the library at the Jerome County Jail, a facility county officials call outdated and potentially dangerous for inmates and employees. ‘It’s just open because of air circulation,’ said detention Sgt. Sean Lynd. ‘If you close it up it turns into a hotbox in there.’ The latch is one of dozens of examples Lynd said are reasons why the county needs a new jail.

A Twin Falls County Jail inmate watches TV in the recreation room Tuesday at the facility in Twin Falls. Officials from Twin Falls and Gooding counties are hashing out details of potentially building a jointly operated jail in Wendell.(ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News)

DREW NASH • TIMES-NEWS Jerome County inmates serve time Thursday at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome. The towels hanging from the ceiling are there to absorb leaks. Jerome County officials seek voter approval of a $10.7 million bond issue to build a new county jail.

Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall gives a tour of the cramped facilities Thursday, May 3, 2012, at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome, Idaho. The narrow hallways are a safety concern for the 38-year-old jail's employees.

Lou Probasco, who is director of nursing at the Twin Falls County Jail, talks on Thursday about medical issues they encounter while Kathy Corle, left, an RN at the jail, Adrian Dean, a consulting psychiatrist for the jail and dentist David Wilkes who is also on contract with the jail. (ASHLEY SMITH • TIMES-NEWS)

Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall peers though a two way mirror that doesn't work so the staff has covered the windows with copy paper during a tour of the facilities Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome.

Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall, right, looks on as Lt. Rob Neiwert, left, opens an old freezer that is now used as inmate property storage during a tour of the facilities Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome.

From left, Cassia County Sheriff Randy Kidd discusses the inner workings of the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center Thursday during a tour of the jail with Burley City Councilman John Craner, Mayor Terry Greenman, and councilmen Russ Mallory, Randy Hawkins and Casey Andersen.

Lou Probasco decorated the medical room in the jail with a fish theme because he says its often like a fish bowl, since inmates come and go to the facility as they battle issues with substance abuse and the consquences of that lifestyle.

Lou Probasco and Kathy Corle work with Twin Falls County Jail
inmates on Tuesday at the facility. Probasco has been working at
the jail since the 1980's and has consistently under bid other
medical contract services.

Deaf Twin Falls County Jail inmate Michael Bonales signs with
Suzanne Blair while she holds her daughter, Faith, during a video
visitation Monday afternoon at the jail in Twin Falls. The county
is testing a system of webcam technology to provide inmate
visitations.

An inmate at the Twin Falls County Jail folds laundry Tuesday. Twin Falls County sheriff’s officials say they think the county can save on long-term jail costs by joining with Gooding County to operate shared jail facilities in Wendell.(ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News)

Jerome County Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Haas opens a door manually last week in the county’s 34-inmate jail, which it hopes to replace with a new 165-bed lockup. A number of the current jail’s doors were originally automated, but the system no longer works, forcing jail personnel to open every door manually.

Twin Falls County Jail Deputy Shelli Stokesberry secures an inmate so he can make a phone call Wednesday afternoon at the Twin Falls facility. The Twin Falls County Sheriff's Department received a federal grant for $613,532, awarded over the next three years to cover the cost of employing several more jail deputies.

Jeff Wildridge, an inmate cook for the Jerome County Jail, dishes out grilled cheese sandwiches as inmate Scott Harris stands by to assist Wildridge as they make lunch for about 38 inmates at the crowded local jail. County commissioners met this morning to discuss options that would bring a new jail to town.

Photos by MEAGAN THOMPSON/Times-NewsLaura Ansley, 22, perches on a desk in her cell at the Twin Falls County Jail as she reflects on the drug use that landed her in the facility. Ansley is one of many addicts housed at the jail for drug-related crimes. She is looking forward to participating in a rider program that will give her the opportunity to be involved in drug treatment programs and parenting classes. But she wishes there was more programming offered at the jail. 'I lost a lot to meth,' says Ansley. 'I lost myself.'

Times-News file photoTwin Falls County Sheriff's Department Deputy Terry Hawkins runs the switchboard at the Twin Falls County jail in June 2006. The jail's main control board, which controls the intercom system, TV feeds and door locks, is outdated and will be replaced with a new digital board.

A lock hangs from an open hatch in the door to the library at the Jerome County Jail, a facility county officials call outdated and potentially dangerous for inmates and employees. ‘It’s just open because of air circulation,’ said detention Sgt. Sean Lynd. ‘If you close it up it turns into a hotbox in there.’ The latch is one of dozens of examples Lynd said are reasons why the county needs a new jail.

A Twin Falls County Jail inmate watches TV in the recreation room Tuesday at the facility in Twin Falls. Officials from Twin Falls and Gooding counties are hashing out details of potentially building a jointly operated jail in Wendell.(ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News)

DREW NASH • TIMES-NEWS Jerome County inmates serve time Thursday at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome. The towels hanging from the ceiling are there to absorb leaks. Jerome County officials seek voter approval of a $10.7 million bond issue to build a new county jail.

Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall gives a tour of the cramped facilities Thursday, May 3, 2012, at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome, Idaho. The narrow hallways are a safety concern for the 38-year-old jail's employees.

Lou Probasco, who is director of nursing at the Twin Falls County Jail, talks on Thursday about medical issues they encounter while Kathy Corle, left, an RN at the jail, Adrian Dean, a consulting psychiatrist for the jail and dentist David Wilkes who is also on contract with the jail. (ASHLEY SMITH • TIMES-NEWS)

Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall peers though a two way mirror that doesn't work so the staff has covered the windows with copy paper during a tour of the facilities Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome.

Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall, right, looks on as Lt. Rob Neiwert, left, opens an old freezer that is now used as inmate property storage during a tour of the facilities Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Jerome County Jail in Jerome.

From left, Cassia County Sheriff Randy Kidd discusses the inner workings of the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center Thursday during a tour of the jail with Burley City Councilman John Craner, Mayor Terry Greenman, and councilmen Russ Mallory, Randy Hawkins and Casey Andersen.

Lou Probasco decorated the medical room in the jail with a fish theme because he says its often like a fish bowl, since inmates come and go to the facility as they battle issues with substance abuse and the consquences of that lifestyle.

Lou Probasco and Kathy Corle work with Twin Falls County Jail
inmates on Tuesday at the facility. Probasco has been working at
the jail since the 1980's and has consistently under bid other
medical contract services.

Deaf Twin Falls County Jail inmate Michael Bonales signs with
Suzanne Blair while she holds her daughter, Faith, during a video
visitation Monday afternoon at the jail in Twin Falls. The county
is testing a system of webcam technology to provide inmate
visitations.

An inmate at the Twin Falls County Jail folds laundry Tuesday. Twin Falls County sheriff’s officials say they think the county can save on long-term jail costs by joining with Gooding County to operate shared jail facilities in Wendell.(ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News)

Jerome County Sheriff’s Lt. Robert Haas opens a door manually last week in the county’s 34-inmate jail, which it hopes to replace with a new 165-bed lockup. A number of the current jail’s doors were originally automated, but the system no longer works, forcing jail personnel to open every door manually.

ASHLEY SMITH/Times-News

Twin Falls County Jail Deputy Shelli Stokesberry secures an inmate so he can make a phone call Wednesday afternoon at the Twin Falls facility. The Twin Falls County Sheriff's Department received a federal grant for $613,532, awarded over the next three years to cover the cost of employing several more jail deputies.

MEAGAN THOMPSON/Times-News

Jeff Wildridge, an inmate cook for the Jerome County Jail, dishes out grilled cheese sandwiches as inmate Scott Harris stands by to assist Wildridge as they make lunch for about 38 inmates at the crowded local jail. County commissioners met this morning to discuss options that would bring a new jail to town.

Photo by MEAGAN THOMPSON/Times-News

Photos by MEAGAN THOMPSON/Times-NewsLaura Ansley, 22, perches on a desk in her cell at the Twin Falls County Jail as she reflects on the drug use that landed her in the facility. Ansley is one of many addicts housed at the jail for drug-related crimes. She is looking forward to participating in a rider program that will give her the opportunity to be involved in drug treatment programs and parenting classes. But she wishes there was more programming offered at the jail. 'I lost a lot to meth,' says Ansley. 'I lost myself.'

Times-News file photoTwin Falls County Sheriff's Department Deputy Terry Hawkins runs the switchboard at the Twin Falls County jail in June 2006. The jail's main control board, which controls the intercom system, TV feeds and door locks, is outdated and will be replaced with a new digital board.

Gooding County Sheriff Shaun Gough stands by the gate at the jail annex that an inmate, Scott Howard Holmes, 39, escaped through when it was left unlocked Saturday morning.

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